Test drove a tiger 800 and XC

[CANYONWLF7]

Blah, boring, the Versys twin is WAY freaking better!
The triple drones on and on, super annoying engine, intake whirring never goes away, the way the engine makes power is sterile! For all you versys lovers longing for a tiger, forget about it. I do have a triumph twin, and much prefer it (scrambler), sold my V but may buy a 2011 soon or a xr1200, both bikes are way superior to a triumph tiger IMHO

[RickySpanish]

i thought the triple engine sounds kewl.
what do you mean by "the way the engine makes power is sterile" ?
just curious. i'm loving my V.

[invader]

It sounds so beautiful... Sterile as in seamless and unexciting?

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

Beginning and end of video:

You Tube

You Tube

[Davy F]

Can't say I agree as I throughly enjoyed my demo ride on the Tiger XC. I found the triple engine to be superb and so much nicer than an IL4. It's not quite as smooth as an IL4, but smoother than a twin. The whine of the engine is addictive and the power it has is plentiful. I still bought the Versys mind, but that came down to two over-riding factors. Cost and fun.

[twowheeladdict]

I have ridden the triples and have the Concours but the feel of acceleration is greater on the Versys even though the Connie blows it's doors off (if it had doors). I love the fell of acceleration that can only be found in the twin motors IMO. The triples are a compromise between the twins and I4s and are real nice engines. I would have bought the Sprint ST over the Connie had it been a shaft drive instead of chain.

[CANYONWLF7]

Too each his own, the twin is my preference, the triple has power but it is not for me sirs
I don't need a video, I heard and felt it on two back to back 40 minute test rides........

[Spackler]

Originally Posted by CANYONWLF7

Blah, boring, the Versys twin is WAY freaking better!
The triple drones on and on, super annoying engine, intake whirring never goes away, the way the engine makes power is sterile! For all you versys lovers longing for a tiger, forget about it. I do have a triumph twin, and much prefer it (scrambler), sold my V but may buy a 2011 soon or a xr1200, both bikes are way superior to a triumph tiger IMHO

I couldn't disagree more, but that's why there are lots of choices out there. Something for everyone.

[CANYONWLF7]

Viva la differance

[MTS]

So are we talking about 1/2 the money? You can get a new V for say 7.5K and you can get a new Tiger 800 xc for 14k?

Does that sound about right!

[Bones]

The smoothness of a triple is one of its draws in my book. I've heard adjectives like "sterile" used to describe the V4 in my ST1300, which rivals any motorcycle engine for smooth power delivery.

I like to keep in mind what Larry Grodsky said about the character of motorcycles: "What the Italians call character the Japanese consider design flaws and the Germans deny to their graves." Not sure how the English and their Triumphs figure in, but I think we could extrapolate and say "ride what you like."

[Boricua]

Upgrading to an explorer in a couple of months. Test rode one a couple of months ago. Fell in love with the triple right out of the gate. The 138hp 88 ponds of torque blows away anything but an ms. Sorry to say good bye but the v is going out on the market in afew days.

[Kawa007]

I was interested in the Tiger XC too at some point. But was afraid of all the reviews that said how flat the power curve was...

I had a Speed Triple, and I can say not all triples are boring Same for the Street Triple, wicked fun bikes!

[BAMF]

dont worry canyonwlf... alot of these guys probably have not ridden it and are reacting to what they are thinking it will feel like. And we both probably THOUGHT it was going to feel that way.

"sterile" is a nice way of saying that the triple has no balls. It makes power the same way the Vstrom does...linear. It isn't lacking in power. It just doesnt have that same snap that the versys has.

In other words...if you are easy on the throttle with the versys, you probably wont care.
But if you like to crank it and pull out of corners all hot and bothered like (lol), then you will be unimpressed with the triple...cause it wont do that for you.

thats not to mention all the other flaws, like the rear passenger pegs go straight to the frame so whenever you drop it, YOU HAVE BENT YOUR FRAME.
and the fact that there are still a bunch of them that just shut off inconspicuiously on the ADV forum.
and the fact that the XC delivers the image of being offroad worthy, but the lower linkage is highly damageable in the position that its in


with all that said, I have thought about it....but i think i am going to eventually move toward a F800gs or a ktm990 adventure (used of course)

[Kawa007]

KTM 990 is definitely the only real off-road bike in the bunch...

[BAMF]

Originally Posted by Kawa007

KTM 990 is definitely the only real off-road bike in the bunch...

true-ish... ALOT has been done on the f800gs, but yes..i rode a friends 950 ktm and it was amazing how steady it was and the power was.... well you know, amazing

[fasteddiecopeman]

I switched rides w/ a friend (950 or 990 'Enduro' I think), and its seat is SO-O-O high it made my V feel like a Harley....

[Tigerpawed]

The KTM, well...I need a ladder to get on that thing. I watched a guy ride 2-up with his wife all weekend, but he was 6 feet 2 and she was not much bigger than a top case and a helmet. It's a super-impressive bike, with high build quality, but wow...you better be tall.

I've sat on the XC a few times and the ergo's are great. I look forward to a test drive on one next year. I am looking for something more dirt road worthy and 2-up friendly. I wouldn't rule out the XC at all.

[Davy F]

Originally Posted by BAMF

dont worry canyonwlf... alot of these guys probably have not ridden it and are reacting to what they are thinking it will feel like.

Here's a quick summary of what I wrote at the time.

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/...c,61646.0.html

[BAMF]

well dave you must be the exception, but I still can't see how you would think it had the power that you would expect from an 800.

its not like we are making this up,,, ever single review of both the 800/800 XC says the same thing. If you are trying to do any sort of offroad or quick manuevering, you have to wind-out the engine. Its not like the power isnt there, its just much higher in the RPMs than you'd think. There is no grunt to it.

If you are thinking of getting something in between a "sport tourer" and a versys, then the Tiger is perfect. It has a great linear powerband, but I like the power to come on strong right at the bottom, cause i might have to get over something on a trail/curb/etc.

[Davy F]

Originally Posted by BAMF

well dave you must be the exception.

Maybe I just know how to get the best out of what I ride.